From the draft express twitter blog thing: "Greg Monroe has worked out for teams drafting 5 (Sac) and 9 (Utah) but not for 6 (GS) or 7 (Clippers). Must feel pretty good w/where he's at" I assume he meant the Clippers at 8, since we're at 7. Does Monroe have the fire to be a Piston given Joe D's statement?
Just dunk my head in the toilet Joe and get it over with. I do think his sense of humor would help keep the locker room loose though.
I hope some team closes one eye. Monroe is soft and I worry he will drop and the one-eye Joe won't resist. Monroe will drop in the draft and George will ascend. No more need be said: Johnson or George and 3 spot is secure for the next few years. Success means this is the right pick. One out of three gone. Now move on to the trades and get yourself a PG with the MLE.
Thank goodness. I can rest easier at night now. Donatas Motiejunas decides to withdraw from NBA draft - ESPN
His agent has obviously advised him that playing in Detroit would be a bad fit. ...It's back to the drawing board for Joe & his draft war-room.
All the talk and rumors make me B31IVE and hope this is the way it will go down: 1.Wall 2.Turner 3.Favors 4.Johnson 5.Monroe 6.Aminu 7.Cousins I may throw a party if this happens.
We are three days away from the draft! I think that Demarcus Cousins is Joe's guy in this draft. One thing about Joe, when he locks in on a guy in the draft he pretty much makes it happen, call it his gift and his curse. Daye, Stuckey, Maxiel, Darko, Rodney White, all guys Joe locked into and drafted no matter who was still on the board. I think that Cousins is a lock to don a Pistons jersey on draft night, I've convinced myself (for whatever that's worth) that at this point Cousins agent is telling Sac to take Monroe because his client wants to play in Detroit, and that he's sure he can peel away one of Det's assets to incentivize Sac to pick Monroe. He's probably told GSW to simply backoff, pick Aminu, we're not even willing to work out for you, we don't fit your style of play!
Cousins doesn't fit at all in GS, but then GS might want to reinvent its team style so eventually he does fit. Curry and Cousins could be a dynamic set of building blocks.
Don Nelson is 200 years old and has been coaching the run & shoot offense forever. I don't think that he's gonna change his tune to accommodate D-Cuz.
We're 2 days away and the spin has begun. Teams are putting out so much bogus info it's unreal. One rumor actually has NJ drafting Wes Johnson? I think one thing is clear by the end of the draft we're leaving with Cousins if Joe can make a deal, or Edoh if he can't.......
This draft lends to this misinformation campaign because EVERY lottery pick currently has flaws and warts. There are no super sure things, not even Wall. But really, it seems to me that there is much more misdirection and misinformation being spread this year than in other years. That uncertainty is likely driving up the price teams will have to pay to move up. If a GM thinks he's got it figured out and that THIS player is the real deal because his flaws and warts are misunderstand or that his team is equiped to maximize that particular talent.
It's becoming clear to me that we're going to have to trade up somehow for Cousins. If he somehow makes it past Sactown, Golden State would be smart to dangle that pick out there and move back should they not want him. There has to be some kind of move. Aminu makes no sense for the team despite being "best available", neither does Paul George. Udoh and Davis may be too high at #7 if you don't love them. Thankfully I think Aldrich is out of the consideration for our pick. Trade looks like the best route. And a good one, this team needs to move some players.
There is a whole-lotta misdirection taking place. The fat-boys (Favors/Cousins) are dropping fast as huge transitions now face them and their learning curves lengthens. GM's like JD know the realism that most may have years on the pine. Again, I like to emphasize that the current draftee should be ready to seriously step in during the latter have of next year. No current lottery bigs qualify. The team will change big time and trades will only evolve around 3-5 positions. They will be veterans. It only makes since to use this free mentor ship time on real talent that can take over so that more flexibility takes place for future trades. This is why I favor signing P.George or X.Henry...who should be hitting potential all-star talent in three years. JD's safe route upon keeping the 7th pick would have to be Udoh. About as close he will come to grit at the 4 position. You have no real fives, except for Aldrich and JD won't go there.
Recent word has New Jersey leaning Wes Johnson. Favors, Cousins, and Monroe are the next 3 off the board. According to DX, Aminu canceled his Detroit workout and prefers to go to the Clippers. Leaving us with Ed Davis or Ekpe Udoh. Ugh. We're definitely on the outside.
The Homerun pick available to us is Davis -- big talent, potentia big bust too. But he's by far the best athlete of the premium big men that we're looking at: he can jump out of the gym and can run and is agile. He also might be the best defensive big man we could pick. If we aren't getting Monroe or Cousins, Davis is the guy who most fits a need on our team: a seriously fine rebounder and paint defender.
I'm agree.. My list'd be: 7th pick - Cousins If not - Monroe If not - Davis If not - Udoh If not - Paul George If not - Hassan Whiteside But I don't know, if we can get the 4th pick Don't know if I'd draft Cousins or Monroe.. (I know that it seems very unlikely now that David Kahn has said that the 4th pick it's not in the trading block..)
Omar Samhan would fill a role on this team He did block shots and rebound in college, rebounding at least should transfer. His offense is his athleticism though. And the last few prospects out of Roy Williams' UNC havent exactly been great. He's likely not a immediate contributor either. Never will be a big body but athletic. I bet they take him and still try to run a laughably slow pace with open court players. Only thing seperating Udoh and Davis is that p-word. He's every bit the defender and rebounder with a better offensive game. Davis as a homerun is a stretch. I'm still very much in favor of trading up. Settling on Davis definitely isn't the worst thing in the world. He does have some talent. He could be just fine. Rebounding is something this team desperately needs. I did like him earlier in the season and I'm trying to talk myself back into him now. No one else in that spot blows me away. I suppose the draft position we are in is more frustrating than the player.
